2014-2015 Post-Trade Deadline Rankings

1) Anthony Davis

2) Steph Curry

3) James Harden

4) Chris Paul

5) Kevin Durant – We’re about two-thirds of the way through the season and reigning MVP is still feeling the effects of the Jones fracture he suffered in the preseason. Some soreness was to be expected, but Durant could barely walk by the end of last night’s Thunder-Mavs game. I wouldn’t trade Durant straight up for anyone but the four guys above him, but I’m not completely comfortable with just sitting back and hoping his foot gets better either. Jones fractures do come with a fairly high risk of re-injury.

6) LaMarcus Aldridge

7) Russell Westbrook

8) Klay Thompson

9) LeBron James – The King is having a surprisingly poor year. Poor efficiency (48.8 FG%, 73.6 FT%) has led to James’ current late second-round value. He’s been even worse on a per-minute basis. LeBron barely cracks the top 50 on a per-36 basis. Still, it’s hard to drop LeBron any further even with his awful playoff schedule.

10) Kawhi Leonard

11) Damian Lillard – Lillard faded down the stretch last season and has only posted third-round value over the last month. However, his floor is higher this season due to his long-awaited improvement on the defensive end (1.5 SPG). The 4/4/4 playoff schedule doesn’t hurt either.

12) Jimmy Butler

13) DeMarcus Cousins

14) Marc Gasol

15) Kyrie Irving

16) Al Horford

17) Paul Millsap

18) Serge Ibaka

19) Pau Gasol

20) Draymond Green

21) Kyle Lowry – It’s been an up-and-down season for the All-star starter. After posting first-round value for the first half of the season, Lowry’s play has fallen off a cliff. Lowry has barely posted top-80 numbers over the last month and I chalk this up to having to carry a much larger role due to the DeMar DeRozan’s groin injury. Expect Lowry to bounce back to early-round value after the break.

22) John Wall

23) DeAndre Jordan

24) Jeff Teague

25) Gordon Hayward

26) Dirk Nowitzki

27) Al Jefferson – Jefferson is a nice buy-low target due to his 4/4/4 playoff schedule and improving play. Over the last month, Jefferson has posted top-25 value despite only playing 28.8 MPG and shooting 57.9% at the charity stripe. Jefferson’s a career 71% shooter from the line so a normalization at the line could boost the Hornet into the top 15 down the stretch.

28) Nikola Vucevic

29) Danny Green

30) Kyle Korver

31) Tyson Chandler

32) Tim Duncan

33) Hassan Whiteside – This is actually a pretty conservative ranking of Whiteside, especially given the Dragic trade and the Bosh news. Only the first five players on this list have been more productive on a per-minute basis. Don’t sell high. Enjoy the elite FG%, rebounding, blocks, and perfect playoff schedule.

34) Eric Bledsoe

35) Trevor Ariza

36) Rudy Gobert – With Enes Kanter headed to Oklahoma and Kendrick Perkins about to be bought out, Gobert’s already impressive production is about to get a big boost. Gobert’s incredible FG% (62.9%), stocks (0.7 SPG, 2.2 BPG), and 4/4/4 playoff schedule means that you’ll be seeing the Utah center on a ton of championship rosters this year.

37) Mike Conley

38) Wes Matthews

39) Rudy Gay

40) Kevin Love

41) Goran Dragic – The trade deadline could not have gone any better for Dragic owners. Wade’s high usage means we likely won’t see a repeat of last season’s dominance. However, his role should be larger than it was in Phoenix and owners now get 12 playoff games instead of nine from a point guard who shoots 50% from the field.

42) Ty Lawson

43) Derrick Favors

44) Isaiah Thomas – Like Dragic, he goes from a team with nine playoff games to a team with 12. As a starter in 2013-2014, IT posted top-35 numbers that included 20.3 PPG, 1.8 3PG, 6.3 APG, 1.3 SPG, and 85% shooting from the line. Brad Stevens’ lineups have fluctuated but there’s simply no one on that Celtics roster that can challenge Thomas for playing time. IT owners hit the jackpot.

45) Darren Collison

46) Monta Ellis

47) Khris Middleton

48) George Hill – Hill has been phenomenal when he’s been on the floor. Unfortunately he’s only been on the floor 15 times this season. How good has Hill been when healthy? His per-36 numbers rank 16th overall this season. Yes, he’s an injury risk, but Hill has a perfect playoff schedule and has early-round potential. Go after him now as the buy-low window is quickly closing.

49) Gorgui Dieng

50) Chandler Parsons

51) David West

52) Jonas Valanciunas

53) Zach Randolph

54) DeMarre Carroll

55) Ricky Rubio

56) Greg Monroe

57) Andre Drummond –This was the year Drummond was suppose to officially take the punt-FT% crown. Unfortunately, and surprisingly, he’s regressed. Drummond has been mediocre, even in a punt-FT% build where he’s only posting second-round value. The rebounds (13.0 RPG) and defensive stats (1.0 SPG, and 1.7 BPG) have been excellent, but the FG% (49.7%) has been extremely disappointing. The Pistons’ center hasn’t be trending upwards (Drummond is only posting third-round value without FT% over the last month) so don’t expect any miracles down the stretch.

58) Thaddeus Young – After a brutal start, Thad has turned it around in a big way. Young has posted top-50 value over the last two months and continues to be an elite source of out-of-position steals (1.9 SPG). The move to Brooklyn improves his playoff schedule and with Kevin Garnett back in a Wolves uniform, there should be plenty of minutes available.

59) Brook Lopez

60) Giannis Antetokounmpo – Giannis is another player who has gone from being an early season dud to a very useful fantasy asset. Giannis continues to be very mediocre on a per-minute basis (the Greek Freak doesn’t even crack the top-150 on a per-36 basis) but is being fed enough minutes to make up for the lack of per-minute efficiency. Giannis should continue to be an excellent source of out-of-position rebounding (8.2 RPG over the last month) and defensive stats (1.5 SPG and 1.2 BPG over that same period).

61) Robert Covington – Before Hassan Whiteside decided to do a pretty good Hakeem impression, Covington was in the running for pickup of the year. The undrafted second-year player has been outstanding all year long and continues to heat up. Over the last month, Covington has posted top-30 numbers that include 2.8 3PG, 1.8 SPG, and 87.8 FT%.

62) Nerlens Noel

63) Reggie Jackson – Here are Jackson’s numbers in his 13 starts as a member of the Thunder this season: 20.2 PPG, 1.2 3PG, 5.2 RPG, 7.8 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 41.6 FG%, 85.2 FT%, and 3.3 TOPG. Those gaudy numbers translated to fifth-round value over those 13 games. Those flashy stats came with both Durant and Westbrook out of the lineup so expect his numbers, and usage, to be lower in Detroit. Jackson is a solid popcorn stat player but don’t go overboard trying to acquire him as he will likely be a turnover machine and struggle to score efficiently.

64) Robin Lopez

65) Brandon Knight – Next to DJ Augustin owners, Knight owners may have taken the biggest hit at the trade deadline. Knight has returned top-40 value this season but a lot of that has to do with his sky-high usage (26.8% USG%). Knight will be now playing off the ball so expect that usage, and his fantasy value to drop. To add insult to injury, Knight’s playoff schedule has gone from 11 games to nine.

66) Tobias Harris

67) Victor Oladipo

68) Kevin Martin

69) Luol Deng

70) Nicolas Batum – Batum hasn’t done much recently to justify this ranking, but his perfect playoff schedule keeps him useful. Also, Batum has looked solid in his first two game after the All-Star Break and has ditched the wrist brace that he was wearing prior to the break. I don’t think we’ll see early-round Batum any time soon, but he can likely be had for fairly cheap, making him an interesting buy-low for those looking to gamble.

71) Marcin Gortat

72) DeMar DeRozan

73) JR Smith

74) Blake Griffin

75) Timofey Mozgov

76) Jarrett Jack

77) Markieff Morris

78) Ryan Anderson

79) Patrick Patterson – PatPat has very quietly provided top-75 value on the year and top-50 value over the last month. Expect this to continue as Amir Johnson is starting to look beat up again and Patterson consistently plays over Valanciunas in the 4th quarter.

80) Jamal Crawford

81) Tyreke Evans – Jrue feels like a long-shot to return in time to be relevant during the fantasy playoffs. That means the Tyreke show will continue. Evans will never be the most efficient guy in the world, but the popcorn stats are extremely useful. Over the last month, Evans has averaged 9.2 APG, 5.2 RPG, and 1.2 SPG.

82) Dwyane Wade

83) Andrew Bogut

84) Lou Williams

85) Matt Barnes

86) Andrew Wiggins

87) Jusuf Nurkic

88) Alex Len – Len has outperformed this ranking by providing top-70 value over the last two months. However, foot concerns and a 3/3/3 playoff schedule limit his upside.

89) Joe Johnson

90) Wilson Chandler

91) Roy Hibbert

92) Joakim Noah

93) James Johnson – Johnson’s a risky long-term option given his fluctuating role, but he absolutely needs to be owned in case the switch to the starting lineup proves to be permanent. Johnson’s out-of-position blocks (1.1 BPG in only 20.9 MPG) are the main draw, but what really makes him interesting is his unbelievable shooting from the field (61.8% FG%). Johnson has shot the ball even better recently (65.4 FG% over the last two months). Over the last two months, only five players have had a larger positive impact on FG% than JJ.

94) JJ Reddick

95) Kelly Olynyk – With Sullinger out for the year, Olynyk needs to be stashed in all leagues. The Canadian offers 1 three/1 steal/1 block potential and has a 4/4/4 playoff schedule. Olynyk should be back within a week and offers more upside than Tyler Zeller and Brandon Bass.

96) Terrence Jones

97) Eric Gordon

98) Bradley Beal

99) CJ Miles

100) John Henson

101) Patrick Beverley – Over the last month Beverley has somehow managed to shoot 28.6% from the field. Despite the extended shooting slump, Beverley is still posting top-90 value on the year which shows how useful he can be when he is on.

102) Ed Davis

103) PJ Tucker

104) Mason Plumlee – I wouldn’t roster Plumlee unless I was punting FT%. Plumlee is posting top-75 value this season in a punt-FT% build but hasn’t been able to crack the top 200 when FT% is included.

105) Jared Dudley – It’s hard to trust Jason Kidd’s rotations but it’s also hard to ignore how good Dudley has been. Over the last three months, Dudley has posted top-90 value yet the Buck is owned in less than 10% of Yahoo leagues. Dudley’s averages over those three months include a very useful 1.4 3PG, 1.1 SPG, and 51.8 FG%.

106) Jodie Meeks

107) Mo Williams

108) Deron Williams – Williams has played extremely well since the All-Star Break which has coincided with Jarrett Jack missing time with a hamstring issue. It’s difficult to say if D-Will will stick in the starting lineup when Jack returns to full strength, but at worst, it appears Williams has carved out a bigger role for himself going forward.

109) Aaron Brooks – Thibs loves him some Hinrich but Brooks is the better fantasy bet. Don’t expect more than 3 to 4 APG, but 2.0 3PG is definitely possible.

110) Harrison Barnes

111) Jose Calderon

112) Nikola Pekovic

113) Paul Pierce

114) Isaiah Canaan – Canaan won’t do much besides hit threes and drop the occasional dime, but he should be useful due to how often he projects to hit from deep. Canaan’s per-36 averages include 3.3 3P36. Ish Smith is more of a threat than Tim Frazier was, but Canaan should continue to see around 30 minutes a night.

115) Langston Galloway

116) Amir Johnson

117) Josh Smith

118) Jason Smith

119) Jordan Hill

120) Courtney Lee

121) Jeff Green

122) Avery Bradley

123) Tyler Zeller

124) David Lee

125) Corey Brewer

126) Taj Gibson

127) Kenneth Faried – Faried has been a huge disappointment this season and has now been benched by coach Brian Shaw. It’s hard to drop a player who has averaged 10.0 RPG over the last two months, but Faried is no longer a must-own player.

128) Mike Dunleavy

129) Danilo Gallinari – It’s been Gallo and not Randy Foye who has taken advantage of Arron Afflalo’s move to Portland. Gallo has averaged 16.0 PPG, 2.7 3PG, and 2.0 SPG since the trade. None of those numbers are sustainable, and injuries will continue to be a concern, but Gallo is a must-own until he cools off. Don’t forget that Gallinari has been a very useful fantasy asset in the past.

130) Brandan Wright

131) Wesley Johnson

132) Jordan Clarkson – Ronnie Price is done for the year, and with Jeremy Lin likely leaving in the offseason, expect to see a lot of Clarkson from here on out. Clarkson doesn’t hit many threes (0.8 3P36), but he should average a swipe and has the potential to average five dimes a night.

133) Kemba Walker – Kemba looks like he’s about 2-3 weeks away making him a dicey hold for those fighting for a playoff spot. If you have a bye wrapped up, he’s a better stash than players like Jrue, Dwight, George, etc.

134) Donatas Motiejunas

135) Brandon Bass – Bass’ value will take a hit once Kelly Olynyk returns, but he should continue to maintain low-end value thanks to his rebounding (5.9 RPG over the last month) and decent percentages (48.0 FG% and 77.8 FT%).

136) Wayne Ellington

137) Michael Carter-Williams – I am not an MCW fan. I don’t hate the Knight trade for the Bucks as his impact was overrated, but MCW is not the answer at point either. That being said, I could see MCW being rosterable down the stretch (something he has not been for most of the year) thanks to the increase in talent around him. The terrible percentages will continue to be drag his value down, but he could see a bump with less defensive attention being paid to him.

138) Tony Parker – Speaking of barely rosterable point guards, Parker is definitely droppable at this point. Parker is ranked 225th over the last three months in 9-cat leagues and his trademark high FG%, is no longer there (46.8 FG%). What keeps Parker relevant is his perfect playoff schedule and the fact that 5.0 APG is difficult to find on the wire.

139) Cody Zeller

140) Tony Allen

141) OJ Mayo

142) Tony Snell – Snell should see a nice bump with Rose possibly done for the year and has done a good job of taking advantage of extended minutes whenever he has been given them. Over the last month, in 27.0 MPG, Snell has averaged a very solid 11.5 PPG and 2.0 3PG while shooting 55.7% from the field. That FG% is obviously not sustainable but Snell should be a sneaky source of points and threes the rest of the way.

143) Devin Harris

144) Elfrid Payton

145) Trey Burke

146) Gerald Henderson

147) Rodney Stuckey – Stuckey has posted top-65 value over the last month with averages that include 15.4 PPG, 0.9 3PG, 3.5 APG, 53.8 FG%, and 94.1 FT%. The Pacer is playing way over his head but his play, and his 4/4/4 playoff schedule, makes Stuckey worth a look for those in need of popcorn stats.

148) Andre Iguodala

149) Jeremy Lin – It’s pretty obvious that Bryon Scott does not want to play Lin but with Ronnie Price done for the year, he’s running out of excuses. Lin likely won’t see more than 25 MPG, but his 4.6 APG and 1.1 SPG makes him a reasonable end-of-the-bench option for those in need of point guard stats.

150) Jerryd Bayless

Notable players that missed the cut:

Dwight Howard – I don’t think he’ll be back in time to be relevant. Howard’s original 6-8 week timetable means that he could return during the fantasy semi-finals but it’s unlikely he’ll be worth the hold given the minutes restriction that will likely accompany his return.

Jrue Holiday – Like Dwight it looks like Jrue won’t make it back in time. With AD out at least 1-2 weeks, and the Pelicans quickly fading from playoff contention, expect Jrue to be handled with kid gloves if/when he does return. Unless you have a first round bye, he’s not worth the stash.

Paul George – There’s no guarantee that George plays at all this season, and if he does, it likely won’t be for more than 20 minutes a night. Considering the rust that George will have to shake off, I doubt he’ll be more than a low-end streaming option if he does return.

Lance Stephenson – Stephenson is still owned in two out of every three Yahoo leagues despite not even posting top-300 value on the year. If you still own him, cut him.

Enes Kanter – Kanter was barely holding onto standard league relevance in Utah and I don’t see things getting better in OKC. The return of Steven Adams and lack of defensive stats (0.5 SPG and 0.3 BPG) make it very unlikely that Kanter holds much value the rest of the way.

Rajon Rondo – It breaks my heart seeing Rondo owned in 92% of Yahoo leagues while players like Jared Dudley and PJ Tucker go largely unnoticed. Since joining the Mavs on December 20th, Rondo is a barely a top-250 fantasy asset. A turnaround is not coming unless Rondo starts seeing significantly more minutes. The former Celtic has always been a poor per-minute player. Not once in his career has Rondo been a top-100 player on a per-36 basis. With Devin Harris badly outplaying Rondo a bump in minutes is not coming. Rondo is no more than a wasted roster spot at this point.